I’ve been spending a lot of time lately working in the vegetable garden. With favorable weather last week, I was able to get the spring brassicas planted. This is a no-dig no-till bed, covered with woven weed barrier fabric. I have had great luck with growing the spring and fall brassicas this way the last couple of years, and I have high hopes that will continue in 2024. Before putting down the fabric, I amended the soil with several bushels of compost and some organic fertilizer. Then I set out 9 broccoli plants, 7 cabbage and 14 of the big Kossak kohlrabis. When these plants were a few weeks old I had transplanted them into 3.5″ pots, which makes for a strong and healthy root system. After planting, the weather turned wet, and we have gotten just over three inches of rain the last few days. That has gotten the plants off to a great start, and they have really taken off as a result.
bed with brassicas
Annual weeds are starting to sprout in the exposed soil though, and I will use shredded paper to mulch the soil to help keep the weeds under control. I am growing Melody mini-broccoli for the first time, and also growing AAS Winner Purple Magic. The rest of the broccoli plants are favorites like Artwork (also an AAS Winner), Jacaranda and Burgundy.
Melody broccoli plant
The Kossak kohlrabi plants are already starting to swell at the base, which is where the bulbous bottom part will form. These usually get well over a pound each, and I space them a foot apart to give them plenty of room. I am reusing the weed barrier from last year, and it is still in good shape.
Kossak kohlrabi plant
The warm weather we’ve been having has helped the soil heat up, and it was warm enough to set out 10 bush squash plants this past weekend at the other end of the bed. They have taken off already too, and I will thin to one plant per spot in a few days.
Starry Night seedlings
In the bed next to the brassicas and squash I have some Forum onions growing and sizing up. I planted sets last fall, and have been pulling some for use as scallions/green onions as needed. That bed will eventually be used to plant sweet potatoes this year, so they will all get pulled in a few weeks.
Forum onions
Next up in my planting schedule is tomatoes, and I have started getting that bed ready. It was very weedy to start with, no doubt as a result of neglect last summer and fall as I recovered from pneumonia. With a little work (okay, a lot!) though it is looking better, and once the soil dries a bit I hope to spread compost and fertilizer and begin planting the tomatoes. It may take a few more years to get rid of the annual weeds and grasses, since I am sure there are plenty of seeds in the soil and they sprout when conditions are favorable.
weedy garden
I have those tomato seedlings growing in 50 cell plug flats, and they have been hardened off and are ready to go in the ground. I’ve cut back a bit from previous years and hope to get all the tomatoes in one bed, though there might be a few that need to go in an overflow area. It’s always hard for me to say “no” to a few new tomatoes each year though!
tomato seedlings
I hope you have enjoyed this update on spring plantings here in early May. I’ll be back soon with more happenings from Happy Acres – including Harvest Monday!
